Full Speed Ahead
by xXBalorBabeXx
Summary: It was one night of madness that sent her out of the house to clear her mind from it... but Amanda ends up in an area of her hometown she didn't know at all and right into the path of danger. (First part in Life Upside Down AU, co-written with Cry-Of-A-Warp-Engine)
1. Clash Of Two Different Lives

It wasn't often that Amanda wandered around West Newbury by herself as she readjusted her off shoulder white sweater under her black trench coat… but the 14 year old had been having a rough night that had started with an argument with one of her brothers. She loved Sean to death but he drove her nuts at times.

Sean also rarely drank… but tonight, he had been heavily intoxicated and wandered over to Amanda while she had been talking to one of her guy friends, glass in hand and having thrown it. Thankfully, it hadn't injured Amanda or her friend Andre but it started an explosive argument that ended with Sean calling Amanda shameless and accusing her of throwing herself at her friend.

"Fucking asshole!" Amanda muttered, kicking a small pebble… but it flew too high and hit a man in his face, evoking a scream. "Sorry!" She said, running over to check on him… but he grabbed her by her left wrist and started eying her.

"And what was that for?! You should watch where you point yourself, alright?! I've had a bad fucking day enough as it is!" The man growled angrily.

"You're not the only one, now stop acting like you are and let go!" Amanda said, yanking her arm away… and the man smiled creepily at her sassiness and grabbed her again as she turned to leave. "What's your fucking problem? I already apologised, dick!" She growled, trying to put some distance between them but he tightened his grip and tried to yank up her leather skirt as he shoved her against the wall and then down on the ground to pin her down again.

"You ain't going anywhere until I'm done with you, nice girl… now do us a favour and bend over?" The guy responded… moments before he was shoved against the brick wall itself and Amanda had looked up from where she was on the ground.

"You're insanely sick, you know that? She's just a kid!" Another man growled, Amanda guessing that he was about 23… but she couldn't place the accent for a few seconds until she realised it was the same one that Finlay had.

"I got the wrong impression with how she's-" The first guy yelled, the second guy starting to strangle him.

"Bull… now you either tell me the truth or I beat it out of ya, huh?!" He responded, blue eyes blazed with fury.

Amanda stood up, left knee scratched up heavily… but it didn't stop her from going and kicking her attacker in the throat, causing him to fall to his knees and start choking before she brought her right foot crashing down hard on his head, rendering him unconscious.

"You okay?" The second man asked.

"Now I am… thanks for pulling him off me." Amanda answered, attempting to walk but her left leg flared up in pain and she nearly fell again, the man catching her.

"You take it easy… come on, there's people I know who can help you out." The man said, placing a supportive arm around Amanda's back.

She flinched but he knew it wasn't intentional… as they headed towards the car, a door to the nearby hotel opened and the man stopped who was running to them.

"It's okay, Karl, she's just a little roughed up." He said.

"What the hell happened, Finn?" Karl asked.

"Heard the yelling, some creep already had her up against the wall and then on her knees…" Finn explained, neither of them paying attention to the car driving off.

"You're an idiot, Ronnie, you know that?" Ty growled.

"Then why'd you save me, kid? You hate me much like Val does!" Ronnie said, rubbing his sore head. "That bitch back there axe kicked me!"

"You attacked John Cena's kid sister and she's in the wrong for fighting back?!" Ty responded.

"Things were going my way until that fucker intervened and started choking me! He should leave the fighting in the ring!" Ronnie muttered.

"And he's gonna damn well let the others know what you were tryin' to do to that girl." Ty replied.

"I thought she was older and she'd be… you know, out looking for some paper in exchange for pleasurable treatment." Ronnie responded.

"You need to get your head together." Ty muttered.

Back in the hotel, Amanda stayed as still as she could as Finn pressed a damp towel to her knee while both waited for Karl to return with Val and the others.

"What the fuck was with that asshole anyway?" Amanda asked.

"He was an older part of these guys' little gang, most of them started out as a band of friends from their high school days. They lost contact with Ronnie and a year and a bit later, found him being held down and beaten by some rivals… they saved him because he was their friend, but after that he just… fell." Finn explained.

"We all do at some point… I lost touch with someone after he was shot while protecting a woman from two assholes. I haven't heard from Perry since then. No one knows where he is." Amanda said as Karl returned with Val and Liara.

"So, the nice lady who was not being treated nice, is now being treated nice." Val said as she observed Amanda.

"Did she break his neck, is he still there?" Finn asked.

"He's still walking and talking, all that he talks is worthy of the trash heap regardless. There was no justifying what he did, even if he did think Amanda was a 'lady of the night', he shouldn't have thrown her against the wall like that." Karl answered.

"Ever since we saved him, he just… lost all human decency that's in him. To think I actually liked him once…" Liara responded.

"He wasn't worth it, Li." Val said as she examined Amanda's knee and carefully pulled a chunk of the pavement out of the wound. "These damn things… and you didn't even flinch." She responded.

"Is it bad enough to need stitches?" Amanda asked.

"I'd believe so… but you're lucky on that regard, because… wherever he's gotten off to, Ty trained as a doctor for a time, and he certainly knows how to fix a wound. Just don't go to him to try and diagnose a headache or a weird rash, he didn't actually finish training so his guess at something like that is about as good as anyone else's." Val answered, resting one hand lightly on Amanda's shoulder after standing back up. "Trust me… he's fixed three different bullet wounds and a stab wound on me over the past few years. Fixing a physical wound is his speciality."

Amanda nodded and Karl dialed Ty's number.

"I left him somewhere. She okay?" Ty answered.

"Her knee needs stitching up but she's alright… I'm gonna guess and say he's drunk?" Karl responded.

"I could smell some… but I don't think it's to a senseless point, to tell you the truth. He knew damn well what he was doing, albeit probably being quick to judge things." Ty explained.

"He's gonna have one hell of a headache if she kicked him hard enough." Karl said.

"Damn right." Ty responded before they hung up and he headed back.

He was pissed off… and no one blamed him one bit.


	2. Never The Same

Amanda's knee was stitched up and bandaged, Ty seeing that she was trying to think of what to say when she got back home.

"That's certainly a face of worry… honestly, I wouldn't hate you one bit for mentioning his name, so you say what you like. As it is, perhaps." Ty said.

"I invited one of my friends to my family's early Christmas party… but one of my brothers got drunk, got raging mad and threw a glass at Andre and then a huge fight broke out. I get the overprotective sibling mentality but I couldn't even get a word out with how he was so… I just left to go clear my head." Amanda explained.

"How many older siblings?" Ty asked.

"Five…" Amanda admitted before she heard her phone ring and saw that it was John. "Hey… how's everyone over there?" She asked nervously, Finn seeing her tense up a bit.

"Things have cooled off… we were worried, where'd you get off to?" John answered.

"Downtown area… I… I really don't want to explain this over the phone…" Amanda responded, John hearing the tone of her voice change.

When he reached the hotel, she had thanked the others before getting into the Charger… and John seeing her bandaged knee and bruised arms before she readjusted the sleeves of her sweater and coat.

But on their way back home after he had thanked them, John pulled over and saw Amanda had turned her head away so he wouldn't see her tears, John pulling her into his arms.

"Tell me what happened… I hate seeing you like this." John said softly.

"Someone cornered me… shoved me against the wall and started pulling at my skirt. He wouldn't let go but… one of the ones you saw back there, Finn… pulled him off me and started choking him." Amanda responded through her tears as John lightly rubbed his hand up and down her back.

"You know… no one will ever let anyone hurt you again. Sometimes it takes a hit first, for us to raise our shields and guards. But once they're up… there's no getting through." John said quietly.

Amanda nodded and looked up at John, him brushing her tears away and lightly kissing her on her forehead.

When they were back home, Sean was passed out on the leather couch and Amanda headed upstairs after she and Carol hugged before Carol hugged John.

"She'll be okay, son." Carol whispered before going to check on her daughter.

John walked over to his brother and slapped him upside his head, waking him up.

"We're not kids anymore, there was no need for that." Sean muttered as he sat up… and John yanked him up by his shirt and punched him. "What's your problem?!" He asked angrily.

"What you did… made Mandy run off to clear her head, right into the path of an attempting rapist! Our little sister almost brutally had her innocence stolen from her, because you made her run off into an area she doesn't know in the middle of the night and on her own!" John responded through gritted teeth.

"Damn it… I should…" Sean started to say.

"After she calms down and after you sober up completely. Mandy's understandably traumatized." John said, shoving Sean down and then heading upstairs. He got to Amanda's bedroom but heard the shower running and realised she was trying to clean the feeling of Ronnie's hands off of her.

When Amanda was cleaned off and in pajamas, she finally opened the door and John saw that she scrubbed her skin until it was a light red. John also noticed that she wasn't putting weight on her left leg and knew that the full effects of her injury was setting in, John helping Amanda sit down on her bed after closing the door and noticing the bruising on the back of her right ankle.

"I kicked the bastard on the back of his head and neck… after kicking him in the throat." Amanda said quietly.

"Good aim… he'll be feeling that one for a while." John replied.

Amanda nodded in agreement and curled herself up on her right side, John pulling the blue and grey covers over her… Amanda was out like a light after and John noticed a missed call on his phone from Randy, John lightly kissing Amanda on the top of her head and heading into the hallway before dialing the number.

"Got some peace and quiet for a few minutes… half my family is drunk tonight. How are you and Mandy holding up?" Randy said.

"Not good, Randy. Mandy was attacked, someone tried to take what would not be given, if you get what I mean." John answered.

"Damn it, poor kid… she wouldn't tell you at first, would she?" Randy asked.

"She tried to hide it… she beat the hell out of him, gave him a hell of a headache." John responded.

"He damn well had it coming. I'll let you get back to her then, John." Randy said before they hung up, John heading back into the room and seeing how tense Amanda looked in her sleep after sitting down.

John stretched out on Amanda's queen sized bed, lightly rubbing his right hand up and down her back which got her to unclench her left hand from her blue bedsheets… and him seeing nail marks in the palm of her hand.

At the same time, Ronnie had wandered into a bar in the downtown area and looked at the bartender.

"What'll it be?" The older man asked.

"Anything that'll fuck me up and take this headache away." Ronnie answered after sitting down, the bartender pouring a glass of whiskey and Ronnie drinking it.

"The hell did you do, run into a buzzsaw?" The bartender asked after Ronnie drank two more glasses.

"Mistook some teenager for a hooker… but with how she was dressed in that sweater, those boots and leather skirt, she was asking for it." Ronnie answered… but was unaware that one of Amanda's brothers, Dan, was nearby until Dan grabbed him and held him down with Ronnie's right arm twisted behind his back. "Ow, ow, stop! Stop, damn it!" He yelled but it only made Dan angrier and he pulled Ronnie's arm out of the socket.

"I bet that's what she begged, wasn't it?! If you didn't stop, give me one good reason why I should!" Dan growled, looking up as the bartender stepped over towards them.

The bartender scanned his eyes over them while thinking of what he'd heard and been told… "Leave any blood and you're cleaning it up."

Dan nodded and dragged Ronnie outside, slamming him against a guardrail.

"What does it matter to you anyway?!" Ronnie yelled after Dan finally stopped punching and kicking him.

"You obviously don't understand… that she's my sister! And along with my four other brothers, we'd have the means to kill you where you stand!" Dan growled.

"Every chick is someone's sister and she-" Ronnie responded, Dan punching him one last time and leaving him there unconscious.

He headed back home and decided to calm down… when he woke up in the morning, he got cleaned up and changed and checked on Amanda, who was half awake and trying to avoid going back to sleep. Knowing it was a flashback to what had happened, Dan walked over and pulled Amanda into his arms and she buried her head into his shoulder and cried.

"It will take time to forget… sometimes I've wondered if anyone truly does. But we'll all help you work through it…" Dan said quietly.

Amanda started to calm down, her body still shaking though not as violently as she took deep breaths. She looked up at Dan, her eyes red and him seeing that she was trying to talk but her voice was shot. The two headed downstairs, Sean looking up as he was fully sober and seeing that despite the quiet, Amanda had some lingering anger.

Sean decided to let her be and headed outside, Dan seeing that Amanda was trying to stay standing but couldn't and helped her sit down on the couch before sitting down next to her.

"Everything just… my mind went blank, I stopped thinking… I froze when he shoved me against the wall and to the ground…" Amanda managed to say, Dan lightly rubbing her right shoulder.

"Deer in headlights… pure fear and shock locks us all up." Dan replied.

"It does… if it wasn't for Finn showing up when he did, I would've ended up in the hospital." Amanda said.

"With a lot more lost than just some peace and dignity… at the very least, I'm glad that didn't get that far." Dan responded.

Amanda nodded in agreement and leaned against Dan as he hugged her.

Outside, John was kicking himself and the front car tires for not immediately going to look for Amanda when she took off… they had just been replaced last night because they had flattened and he didn't realise it until Amanda was already gone.

"It ain't your fault…" John heard, turning to see his dad, John Sr.

"It took too long fixing these tires, I could've caught up to Mandy a lot sooner had they not been flattened… Dad, she's barely spoken since last night and hasn't said one word to Sean. I don't know if she's angry at him still or blaming herself." John responded.

"Pain and shock has its funny ways of working on the mind. It dictates us to respond in ways we normally wouldn't. She knows it wasn't her fault but all she'll be thinking is "Maybe if I hadn't taken that road" or "Maybe if I'd worn a longer skirt, things would have been different". That's how the mind works sometimes." John Sr replied.

"Yeah… but I have a feeling that we're not the only ones who know what happened." John said.

And little did he know how right he was.


	3. Fallout

**Three days later, Pentucket Regional High School…**

Amanda headed up to the second floor of the school and was about to open the door when she felt a hand grab her arm in an aggressive manner and immediately reacted by turning and striking… only to see one of her newer classmates, Alexa.

"Okay, don't ever do that again." Amanda responded to the blonde, who had moved to West Newbury in the middle of October from Columbus after being allowed to skip eighth grade and go straight to high school… but Alexa looked at her in rage and it was clearly about Ronnie.

"He's in jail because of you." Alexa growled.

"He should've kept his damn hands off me then. What goes around is gonna damn well come around to bite him… and it's none of your damn business." Amanda replied, Alexa glaring at her.

"Tell me… does this become his business?" The two heard, Alexa turning around.

"Does what?" Alexa questioned… only to be thrown down, her hands holding her nose as Amanda saw that it was Val stood there.

"Unless you want this to escalate further, I'd suggest you get to class!" Val said while looking down at Alexa, who stood up and stumbled away.

"This… this isn't over, both of you!" Alexa shouted before she turned around and headed off.

"Thanks for that." Amanda said as she and Val headed into the building and Val knew from the concealer under Amanda's eye makeup that Amanda hadn't slept much.

"Nightmares?" Val asked, Amanda nodding and Val noticed that she was limping slightly.

"One of the juniors tripped me earlier, called me a lying bitch… and then ran off when I stood up. I also haven't heard from Andre, which is…" Amanda responded, Val lightly rubbing Amanda's right shoulder.

"He's been with Immy since yesterday, I think. She brought up some sort of extracurricular project of hers." Val explained.

Amanda nodded as both headed into the classroom… only to see Immy, Andre and a note on the teacher's desk.

"What happened?" Amanda asked.

"He's been occupied by a family matter, this says that his cousin has gotten himself into trouble. Not that much of a surprise, from what I've heard." Immy answered.

Amanda didn't need any further explanation than that and the four decided to sit down and calm their minds… but were interrupted by one of the hall monitors.

"Leni, what happened?" Andre asked, standing up and walking to the strawberry blonde haired girl.

"They're clearing out classes an hour early, go on home is what they said." Leni explained before the group left.

Amanda headed downstairs and reached the railing when Andre stopped her.

"It was you, wasn't it? The one he attacked?" Andre asked, Amanda nodding.

"It was after you went home… I stopped by your house but your dad slammed the door in my face after saying I wasn't welcome there anymore." Amanda responded.

"He's an idiot at times, I come back with one bruise after I've been out to see you and despite what I tell him really happened, he seals you out. Just know from me, you're always welcome to my house." Andre said in response, lightly resting his hand on her shoulder at the last part.

"And you're always welcome at my home… sorry about my brother, I don't know why he was even drinking." Amanda replied as the two hugged for a few seconds.

They headed to the parking lot and Amanda saw Val and Finn talking before Andre headed to his own car, Finn heading over to Amanda.

"Bad day?" Finn asked.

"First day back after anything chaotic… or traumatic usually is…" Amanda responded as the cold wind blew her hair back for a few seconds. "When my Science teacher gets back, he's gonna hate me…" She said quietly as they hugged… only to be startled by a car horn and let go. "I better go on home… thank you for what you did the other night."

She headed on to the Pontiac Grand Am and got in as Finn headed back to Val, Sean glancing at Amanda as she buckled up after putting her red and grey backpack in the back.

"Who was that?" Sean asked as he carefully drove out of the parking lot, Amanda remaining quiet. "Mandy, I didn't mean what I said that night…" He said.

Amanda retrieved a ponytail holder from her coat pocket and tied her long hair back in an absentminded manner, Sean slowing the car down a bit.

"I thought you would've gone looking for me… and when you didn't, I got really mad, Sean." Amanda said quietly.

"I was occupied… in the chaos of the fight, I didn't see that you were gone. Then when I got home and John wasn't, I presumed he'd gone after you himself… and that you probably wouldn't have wanted to see me anyway." Sean responded.

"Not at first… I was scared when I realised I didn't know where I was." Amanda said, Sean pulling to the side of the road when he saw Amanda's Science teacher with Ronnie and then turned to his sister, who had grabbed a screwdriver out of the glove box. "Keep driving…" She said… only to realise that her brother had bolted from the car, charged at Ronnie and tackled him. "Sean!" She yelled, bolting from the car and to the fight after having dropped the screwdriver in the passenger seat.

It was the Science teacher threatening to call 911 that got Sean to stop… but he had directed his anger at the older man.

"Go ahead because I'll be filing a damn restraining order against this son of a bitch! And making damn sure the charges filed against him reach the trial!" Sean yelled, Amanda trying to pull him back and Ronnie pulling himself back up.

"I was drunk, you little-" Ronnie started to say.

"Drunk doesn't excuse trying to rape my 14 year old sister, you prick!" Sean snapped at him.

"Or you to try and beat up her friend, so I'm told!" Ronnie responded.

"Well your damn cousin should keep his mouth shut… next time, it'll be a hell of a lot more than an axe kick, a bruised throat and a dislocated shoulder!" Amanda replied angrily, shoving Sean into the direction of the car and the two leaving. "He damn well deserves every beating he'll get… thank you." She said.

When they reached the house and walked into it, Amanda looked into the living room and saw someone who she thought would've been on tour with the Raw roster as he had been at last night's show.

"Chris?" Amanda said, Chris Benoit standing up and walking over to her before the two friends hugged. "You know…" She said as they let go.

"The news got out… your face was on the news, CCTV from across the street caught the moment he pulled you into the alleyway and then you and Balor leaving afterwards." Chris replied.

"I thought that there were laws to protect minors." Amanda responded as they sat down and Sean headed upstairs.

"Well, not exactly your face, they blurred it out… but you know, your height and shape is easy to recognise to anyone who knows you." Chris explained.

"That's how that crazy bitch knew." Amanda muttered and any other time, Chris would've admonished her for her language but he knew it was everything fully hitting her and lightly hugged her. "Do I even have to ask about their reactions?"

"Now you know that anyone who watched you grow up and anyone who's helped you will still be by your side, little one." Chris said… but Amanda felt the need to let it out.

"It's Carlito who's mouthing off, isn't it?" Amanda asked after they let go. Since the two had met last year, it was Carlito who had been antagonistic towards Amanda, had felt like she wasn't cut out for the business and basically said that she shouldn't even learn how to wrestle.

"He is one of them, yes… though there are a couple of others who don't know how to shut their mouths either." Chris answered.

"It happens a lot with the new ones, the only one of the few who's respectful enough is Brian Kendrick-" Amanda said, cut off by a knock at the door and going to answer it… she opened the door when she heard the yelling.

"You… you little-" The older man said.

"I'm gonna say this once! You leave before I kick you off the damn property myself, your son and I have been friends since second grade and all of a sudden, I'm not welcome in your home?! I was looking for somewhere to cool off and instead of a familiar place, I ended up in an area I didn't know!" Amanda yelled as Chris ran over and put her behind him.

"Move out of the way of business that isn't yours!" The older man said angrily.

"Mandy's like family to me so it is my business! I don't care how pissed off you get, you don't get to come over here and terrorize her!" Chris responded as John and the other Cena siblings ran downstairs.

The man left and Chris closed the door, turning to Amanda.

"Winter break is coming up, I think you need to clear your mind from here for a bit." Chris said.

Amanda knew what that meant... and knew Chris was right.


	4. Can Healing Begin?

_**10/6/04, Boston…**_

" _I take my eyes off her for two seconds… that girl is gonna be the death of me one day."_

 _Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio looked at each other after hearing that and knew who it was and who he was looking for. They walked into the hotel hallway, John turning to them._

" _Either one of you know where Mandy slipped off to?" John asked._

" _No. What happened? She seemed rather pissed after your match against Carlito." Eddie responded._

" _Yeah, she-" John started to say, cut off by an angry yell from one of the OVW divas and going to find her. "What happened?" He asked, Melina narrowing her eyes at him._

" _Your sister swiped my damn dress, where is she?!" Melina demanded._

" _First off, don't call Mandy a thief. She's the furthest thing from one. Second, you're just pissed because you misinterpreted an innocent conversation between her and your boyfriend." John said, Melina slapping him across the face. "You're gonna have to hit me a lot harder than that, lady!" He responded, him, Eddie and Rey grabbing their room keys and John looking for his car keys… only to growl when he couldn't find them._

" _She nicked your key?" Rey asked as Eddie looked in his wallet… only to find most of his cash missing._

" _She stole over $200!" Eddie responded as John walked towards Immy._

" _I stole more once… I did pay it back." Immy said, John remembering from a couple months before._

" _What on earth does a 14 year old buy with nearly one and a half thousand anyway?" John questioned._

" _Six monitors, a whole crate of computer hard drives wiped clean and enough cable to send power to a whole stadium, or thereabouts." Immy answered._

" _Did Mandy say where she was going?" Eddie asked._

" _I think Venu Nightclub is the closest from here… oh damn." Immy answered, John seeing a worried look on her face._

" _Was someone following her?!" John asked._

" _Two guys, one with wild looking hair and the other dressed like he was out of the 50s… they stopped after a few minutes though." Immy answered, the three following her._

 _At Venu, Amanda downed a few more shots of tequila when Carlito and Jesús saw her and recognised her immediately despite the outfit and makeup._

" _What the hell is Cena's kid sister doing here?" Jesús asked before Carlito saw Amanda climb up on a table and dancing on it as Shock Me by Kiss._

" _Relieving stress it seems… finding out what an adult night out is like. I don't think I remember even knowing fully what a nightclub was at that age!" Carlito responded._

" _Me either… wait, Carlito-" Jesús said, trying to follow Carlito through the packed crowd as Carlito reached Amanda and tried to grab at her dress, Amanda slamming her left foot into his face and him screaming and reeling back in pain._

" _I ain't drunk enough, now shove off!" Amanda slurred as Carlito tried grabbing at her again in rage and managing to pull her off the table, only to get a drink thrown in his face. "Go ruin someone else's fun, dickhead!" She yelled before Jesús reached them and pulled them apart._

" _Just leave her alone, man." Jesús said, trying to diffuse things but it wasn't working as Carlito pulled Amanda off of another table by her ankles and caused her to stand up and punch him in the face before kicking her right foot up between his legs._

 _She was about to go for a third hit but was grabbed and thrown over John's shoulder, him taking her outside to the car and putting her on the ground._

" _You were asleep when I left! And I had it handled!" Amanda responded, catching her breath and leaning against the car as John steadied her and saw it was more than alcohol._

" _Damn it Mandy, someone young like you in the club? It was almost inevitable that someone was gonna spike you!" John said, feeling_ _Amanda's muscles tense up as he knew whatever she last ate was about to rebel against staying in her stomach._

 _Amanda leaned against the guardrail, John holding her hair back as she threw up. When she stopped, he was holding her again as she was shaking and breathing heavily as Eddie, Rey and Immy ran over to her._

" _Get her to sit down." Immy said, John opening the passenger door of the_ _Charger and getting Amanda to sit down as Eddie grabbed a bottle of water and opened it, putting it in Amanda's hands_ _and getting her to drink it._

 _Amanda rummaged through the pocket on her dress, handing the money back to Eddie._

" _Feeling better, kiddo?" Eddie asked._

" _A bit… sorry, guys, I was… I felt like I couldn't think in the_ _hotel…" Amanda replied._

 _At the same time, Ronnie was across the street and knew that his intentions had been thwarted._

 _He turned and left, hoping to find another girl to lure in while the girl was drugged senseless…_

 **Present time…**

At the SmackDown event on Thursday in Greenville, Amanda was in the locker room and carefully observed the Tv as two members of the Bullet Club walked in.

"Bit strange being here, I haven't been out of Japan for so long." Tama said.

"It's starting to feel more like a second home. Mandy, you okay?" Finn responded, Amanda nodding as she kept her injured knee propped up and absentmindedly ran her fingers through her now shorter hair… but she had a Styrofoam cup in her hands and they noticed the coffee.

"How much of those has she had to drink today?" Tama asked.

"More than enough." Finn replied.

"Last one, I swear." Amanda said before finishing it and tossing the cup.

"You said that two cups ago." Finn responded as he sat down next to her.

"I tried to take a nap earlier… woke back up and couldn't even scream." Amanda admitted, Finn resting his left hand on her back before they hugged.

But he noticed she was still flinching.

It was when she was clearing her mind that she flinched and screamed after feeling a hand on her right shoulder, Amanda backing away in fright… only to see Matt Cappotelli, who was equally startled.

"Yikes, kid, you look like hell." Matt responded, having not heard what happened to Amanda… and seeing the terrified look in her eyes and carefully pulling her into a hug. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?" He asked.

Amanda broke down in sobs as Matt held her close to him and rubbed his right hand up and down her back.

And it broke his heart to hear her crying and see her so traumatized.


End file.
